The present invention relates to firearms, such as pistols, which use hammers which fire the pistol upon activation of a trigger mechanism. The disclosed invention will operate with such pistols which use a main spring or trigger spring which activates the movement of the hammer to fire the pistol. The disclosed safety lock device will work on any pistol design similar to the well-known 1911 style government pistol which utilizes a hammer spring which is located generally within the pistol grip of the firearm.
While safety selection switches and devices have been common on firearms for many years, there has recently been a move to provide for a lockable safety which add a means to render the firearm safe using other than the operator selected safety switches or levers which are commonly found on many pistols, including the 1911 style pistol. There are a variety of pistol safety designs, such as the grip lever safety seen on the 1911 style pistol. The pistol described in U.S. Pat. No. 984,519, issued Feb. 14, 1911, to John M. Browning is still used today on the pistol styles which bear the general designation of the year of his invention. The purpose of this grip type of safety on pistols is to prevent the pistol from discharging when the pistol chamber is loaded, ready to fire and the pistol is not properly positioned in the hand of the shooter.
A second category of safeties are those which are manually activated or deactivated by the operator of the pistol using a selective lever or switch which are characteristically mounted on the frame of a pistol or in an area of the pistol where the shooter""s thumb is positioned when the pistol is maintained in the proper method of gripping the pistol. Such manual safeties are positioned to allow their manipulation by the shooter, but are generally not designed to have a lock on device which will prevent the activation of the pistol by an unauthorized user.
With increased emphasis on pistol safety and in an effort to provide the means to lock a pistol to avoid activation by a child or other unauthorized user, many pistol locks which are separate, peripheral devices have been utilized. Such devices include blocking the barrel and the slide of the firearm with a mechanical means, or placing devices on or about the trigger area to prevent activation of the trigger, using key lock devices which can only be removed from the gun frame by insertion of the proper key.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a secure, lockable means to render a pistol in a safe, non-firing condition by disabling, arresting, or blocking the movement of the pistol hammer activation means through a lockable insertion device. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means to arrest the movement of the main hammer spring in pistols utilizing hammer springs generally locating within the pistol grip, such as to selectively arrest the movement of the spring mechanism or spring components so that any spring bias used to activate the hammer mechanism is not available until the locking means is selectively removed. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a means to arrest a pistol""s hammer activation rod by securing said rod to the spring activation means or buffer used to operate the pistol in a selective fashion to render the pistol in a safe or fire condition.
The disclosed invention relates to an internally operated safety device or safety lock designed to prevent firing of a Colt government model 1911 style semiautomatic pistol. The invention operates by selectively arresting the movement of the buffer device which sits atop the trigger spring contained within the pistol grip of the gun. The present invention provides a means to retrofit existing 1911 style semiautomatic handguns with the device without permanently altering or damages the firearm. By utilizing existing internal components, and providing a modification of certain components which are easily replaceable, the disclosed invention provides for an effective means to lock down a firearm by replacement of certain modified parts. However, the firearm may be restored to its original condition by replacement of conventional, inexpensive parts, thereby allowing an owner of the firearm to install the safety device without any apprehension about destroying the value of the gun or permanently altering the major components of the firearm.
The invention operates by arresting or preventing the upward or downward travel of a spring buffer device which is located at the interface of an operating rod which connects the hammer mechanism with the main spring. The main spring provides the potential energy or spring bias, for the return of the hammer upon the activation of the trigger once the hammer has been cocked. The invention suggests a means to lock the firearm utilizing a simple screw type device. A more elaborate locking mechanisms may be used to prevent removal of the locking device once engaged in the safe position. Such locking mechanisms form a basis for a key style firearm lock which is internal to the firearm.